Water-cooled oil separator



R. L. ALEXANDER ET AL Elli-ch 22, 1927. 1,621,707

WATER COCLED OIL SEPARATOR lllllmm E AXE Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT L. ALEXANDER AND HAROLD W.

WISHART, OF CLINTON, IOWA, ASSIGNORS T0 CLIMAX ENGINEERING 00., 0F CLINTON, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

WATER-COOLED OIL SEPARATQR.

Application filed May 2c, 1926. Serial No. 112,448.

This invention relates to a water cooled oil separator adapted to be used in connection with a compressor case hich contains lubricating oil under high pressure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a water cooled oil separator into which high pressure gas from a compressor is admitted to afford a means whereby the heat may be conducted out of the compressor case, thereby maintaining the lubricating oil contained in the case at a low temperature.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a water cooled oil separator adapted to receive the discharged gases from a compressor directly from the discharge valve to change the velocity of the discharged high pressure gases from a high velocity to a low velocity and thus to deposit the oil which is carried along in suspension on the walls of the oil separator.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a water cooled oil separator connected directly with the discharge valve of a compressor to receive the high pressure gases therefrom witl in a water cooled separator chamber which causes the separation of the oil from the high pressure gases, permitting the oil to be returned to the compressor case and furthermore permitting the gases to escape through a separate discharge pipe.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved water cooled oil separator adapted to be connected with a compressor to receive high pressure gases therefrom and, to change the velocity of said gases and allow the oil carried thereby to be deposited and returned to the compressor case while the gases are discharged through a separate pipe after being partially cooled by means of a water circulating system.

Uther and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention. (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

Un the drawings:

Thedrawings illustrate a fragmentary side elevation of a refrigerating or compressor unit having connected therewith an im-- proved water cooled oil separator embodying the principles of this invention, with parts brok 11 away and shown in section to illustrate the interior construction.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 indicates a base or foundation having mounted thereon a motor 2, the shaft 3 of which is connected with a compressor 4 of the rotary type. Forming part of the compressor is a discharge valve 5 to which one end of adischarge tube 6 is connected. The upper portion of the discharge tube 6 projects upwardly through a larger connecting tube or pipe 7, one end of which is secured in an opening in the upper portion of the compressor case and forms an oil return pipe to the compressor. The upper end of the return pipe or tube 7 is connected with the lower portion of one end of an oil trap casing or housing 8 through which a water pipe 9 projects longitudinally, The ends of the oil trap casing 8 are welded or otherwise secured around the projecting ends of the water pipe 9. An annular chamber lO is thus provided within the shell or casing 8 around the cooling tube 9 and is adapted to receive the upper end of the discharge tube 6 to permit high pressure gases from the compressor to be one projecting end of the water pipe 9 is a water supply or inlet pipe 12. while a water outlet or discharge pipe 13 is connected to the opposite projecting end of the pipe 9.

Mounted within the chamber 10 of the casing 8 is a gas outlet tube 14, th upper open end of which is positioned adjacent the upper surface of the tube or casing 8 at the end of the casing farthest from the oil return tube 7. The lower end of the gas outlet tube 14 projects through an opening in the casing 8 and connects up with a flanged connector or union 15 secured to the casing 8. The union 15 is adapted to be connected by means of a pipe with the condenser of the refrigerating unit to permit condensation of the high pressure gases before being admitted to the expansion coils.

The operation is as follows:

The high pressure gases which are discharged from the compressora through the discharge yalve 5 pass through the gas discharge tube or pipe (3 and enter the lower portion of the separator casing 8. The heat is thus conducted out of the compressor case, thereby keeping the lubricating oil in the compressor case at a low temperature. vaporization of the oil is thus obviated, thereby also preventing to some extent the combination of the oil with the refrigerant. The high pressure gases discharged into the chamber 10 are permitted to change from a high to a low velocity and thus to deposit the oil carried along in suspension on the Walls of the separator. The separation of the oil is helped materially by the fact that the oil separator is kept cool by means of the water flowing through the cooling pipe 9. The oil separator from the high pressure gases in the chamber 10 is permitted to flow back from the oil separator casing 8 I through the return pipe 7 into the comressor case. The dr ases within the chamber 10 are thenpermitted to leave by.

way of the upper open end of the gas outlet tube 14 and pass into the condenser (not illustrated) forming a part of the refrigerating unit. It will thus be seen that an improved method of discharging high pressure gases into a water cooled oil separator is provided for compressors, not only of the rotary type, but compressors of any other form.

We are aware that many changes may be made. and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

lVe claim as our invention:

1. A water cooled oil separator comprising an outer casing, a water tube projecting therethrough and having the ends of said casing Welded thereto, a Water supply pipe connected to one end of said water tube, a water outlet pipe connected to the other end of saidwater tube, an oil return pipe connected in the bottom of said casing, a gas supply pipe projecting through said 011 return pipe and into said casing, and a gas outlet pipe positioned in said casing with the return pipeinto said expansion chamber,

and a gas outlet pipe in said expansion chamber having one end thereof projecting from the outer casing.

. 3. A water cooled oil separator comprising a water tube, caps secured on the-ends thereof to close the same, a water supply tube connected with one end of said water tube, a water discharge tube connected with the opposite end of said Water tube, an outer casing surrounding said Water tube and having the ends thereofrigidly secured to said water tube between said water supply pipe and said water outlet pipe, an oil return tube connected with said outer casing, a gas supply pipe projecting through said oil return pipe and into said outer casing to permit high pressure gases to enter said casing to have the oil separated therefrom, and a gas outlet pipe in said casing having one end thereof positioned near the top of said casing and the other end projecting from said casing.

i. A water cooled oil separator comprising concentric casings, means for cooling the inner casing, an oil return pipe connected with the outer casing, a gas discharge tube projecting through said oil return pipe into said outer casing, and a separator gas outlet tube in said outer casing.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names. ROBERT L. ALEXANDER.

HAROLD W. WISHART. 

